INDIA URBAN LAB
2015
BANGALORE LAB
Building Long term
Resilience for Bangalore
www.indiaurbanlab.com
indiaurbanlab@gmail.com
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INDIA URBAN LAB
Projecting Development Scenarios through Participatory Planning to
Address Contemporary Urban India Challenges
To establish the primacy of Natural Systems in Urban Development
Scenarios
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
CONTENT
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INDIA URBAN LAB
Background
Why Informal Settlements and Natural Systems?
Method/ Approach
Actors
Process
Workshop
Proposals
Way Forward
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
BACKGROUND
Bangalore Challenge
Geography
Tank/ Lake Systems
Development
“Examining the convergence of challenges of
Natural Resources and Informal Settlements
in the Urban Context”
How can natural systems be brought back into the public realm, such
that the functional capabilities and values of these larger natural
systems in building resilience, is not compromised but reinforced ?
Informal Settlements
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
BACKGROUND
Understanding the Natural Systems
Divided by a Central Ridge that runs North- South
Western Region topographically more variable than
the Eastern Region
Topography
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Bangalore has three main valley systems; Hebbal,
Koramangala – Challaghatta and Vrishabhavati.
The man-made tanks form a chain of reservoirs in
each of the three valley systems.
Valley Systems
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
Valley at the ridge gives birth to small streams, which
cascade down to form major stream systems in the
three valleys. The valleys are thus the repository of all
the tanks in Bangalore, which are interlinked through a
series of tanks and valleys.
Drainage Pattern
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
WHY Informal Settlements & Natural Systems ?
The locations of informal settlements are least
desirable from the habitat point of view – low
lying areas susceptible to inundation, abandoned
quarry pits, tank beds, along railway lines, near
cemeteries, slaughter houses, etc.
According to a project report prepared for the
Karnataka Slum Clearance Board, a third of the
slums in the city are located in environmentally
sensitive areas, where water stagnation cause
mosquitoes to breed and apart from other
health hazards.
In many cases the community depends directly
and/or indirectly on the natural systems, tanks,
drains/nullah, etc., associated with their
habitats.
Nearly 90% of all dwellings in these settlements
are of a temporary / semi-permanent nature.
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
METHOD/ APPROACH
Objectives
Phase I
Local experts and partners prepared background research on the themes identified:
I.
To develop a process that addresses
water security at local/ward level
III.
To propose intervention strategies
addresses access to resources and livelihood
 To understand the intrinsic role of topography and watersheds in the Bangalore region.
 To document the role of existing drainage within the city and establish conflicts.
 To study lake systems in the city and its relationship with existing land use patterns.
 Provide a platform for engagement of various stakeholders focusing on the public realm with the understanding that
water is a commons resource that is to be managed, owned and used in a responsible manner
 Identify actionable zones at the city and at the ward level based on natural parameters, to effectively demonstrate water
management strategies at a micro scale
IV. To evolve a model applicable to similar
cases.
Phase II
II. To advance the process of decentralization
to include management of and access to water
Based on the demonstration case sites identified in the First phase by the team of local experts, an intensive, hands-on lab
was organized.
Lectures from experts in the field and other key stakeholders; followed by working session on pilot case of Bangalore at city
level and at informal settlements level (two cases studies); which was presented at a public event concluded with
recommendation and intervention strategies.
PHASE I:
Pre- Workshop
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PHASE II:
Workshop
Post Workshop
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
Way forward
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
ACTORS Involved
As Participants of Workshop, as Experts, and as Panelists
Experts/ Professionals
NGOs working with the
Communities
Communities
Research Institutes
Government
Departments
From;
I. Integrated Design (INDE’)
II. International Federation for
Housing and Planning (IFHP)
I. Karnataka Kolageri
Nivasigala Samyukta
Sanghatane (KKNSS)
III. Arghyam
IV. Jindal School of Government
and Public Policy
V. MAPUNITY
VI. Feedback Consulting
VII. Azim Premji University
VIII. World Resource Institute
(WRI)- Embarq
IX. Biome Environmental
X. Selco Foundation
XI. Hindustan Aeronautical
Limited
II. Association for Voluntary
Action and Service (AVAS)
I. Residents of Mahalakshmi
Layout Further Extension
II. Residents of Sanyasi Kunte
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BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
I. Indian Institute of
Human Settlement
(IIHS)
I. Bangalore Water
Supply and Sewerage
Board (BWSSB)
II. Bruhat Bangalore
Mahanagara Palike
(BBMP)
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
PROCESS
From over 150 sites identified through research, sites visits to few
shortlisted locations were made. This was to examine on-ground realities
and thereby identify the most viable cases that are representative of the
many informal settlements, along valley systems and water systems in
Bangalore.
Working closely with the associated NGO’s, the partners/ experts
identified two sites that illustrated Bangalore’s challenge. It was also
evident and inevitable through the research, that there is a need to
examine the water systems at its regional scale to decipher the linkages
that cut across scales.
Pre Workshop
Brainstorming
Discussions with NGOs &
Community
Representatives
The non-recognition and poor integration of the natural systems in
conventional planning framework and policies as a valued component has
allowed accelerated degradation of these ecological and environmental
structural systems that host natural resources and services.
Site Visit & Reconnaissance
Hence along with the case sites chosen, the city’s policy framework was
decided to be the third area of focus.
Workshop Structure &
Identifying Representative
Case Sites
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BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
THE TWO CASE SITES
CASE SITE 1
Mahalakshmi Layout Further Extension
CASE SITE 2
Sanyasi Kunte, Gavipuram
LEGEND
0
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4
6
8km
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
GREEN OPEN SPACES
SITE
CANAL
ROADS
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
WORKSHOP :
An Overview
INTRODUCTION &
ORIENTATION
SITE VISIT
WORKING SESSIONS
Lectures & Discussions Brainstorming
PUBLIC
PRESENTATION
FINALIZING PROPOSALS &
OUTCOMES
Introductory presentations
by the experts from IFHP
and the Bangalore Lab
Partner, Integrated Design
to give an overview of the
Lab objectives, scope,
framework, and case sites
chosen
Site Visit to both
case sites for on-site
Studies
Intensive discussions, galvanized by debates, lectures and perspective
sessions from experts
Topics on which lectures were delivered:
Census data interpretation & water statistics for Bangalore, earlier Water &
Sanitation Programs in India, Issues & Management concerns in the
institutional arrangements surrounding water supply & management,
critical vulnerabilities of informal settlements, Policy & Administrative
concerns surrounding Water Systems Management, Success stories in
alternate methods of water management, Law & Legal arrangements,
Policies & and schemes for informal settlements
Participants
presented the
studies & proposals
at a moderated
public presentation
event
The specific context based
intervention strategies for both
the case sites was translated into
scalable policy directives that can
help resolve similar issues at site
and area level, with the backing
of a long term agenda of basing
development plans across scales
on a comprehensive manual of
resource plan for the region.
Interaction with the
resident
communities
Brainstorming on the convergence of all actors and institutions involved
Eminent Panelists
gave their feedback
& offered new
windows for better
engagement
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
5th October
6th October
7th October
8th October
9th October
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
PROPOSALS : Case Site 1
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
PROPOSALS : Case Site 1
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
PROPOSALS :
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BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
Case Site 2
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
PROPOSALS :
Policy & Institutional Arrangements
MAJOR ISSUE
Fragmented Understanding
of Water Systems
Fragmented Institutional
Responsibilities
Fragmented Planning
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
PROPOSALS :
Policy & Institutional Arrangements
MAJOR ISSUE
Fragmented Understanding
of Water Systems
Fragmented Institutional
Responsibilities
Fragmented Planning
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
PROPOSALS :
Policy & Institutional Arrangements
MAJOR ISSUE
Fragmented Understanding
of Water Systems
Fragmented Institutional
Responsibilities
Fragmented Planning
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
WAY FORWARD
The Bangalore Lab can be taken forward in several ways: policy advocacy,
evolving and detailing actionable strategies to empower community and their
representatives to forge solutions to challenges / issues that they face and
emerging action research, to name a few.
1. BROAD LEVEL POLICY MEASURES
2. ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES AT THE SETTLEMENT / COMMUNITY LEVEL
3.
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FURTHER RESEARCH & TESTING OF THE URBAN LAB (and its
pedagogy) IN OTHER GEOGRAPHIES
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
WAY FORWARD
1.
BROAD LEVEL POLICY MEASURES
The BUL demonstrates the gap between the on ground / felt / experienced issues
and challenges of urbanization and the corresponding policy responses, providing
empirical evidence of congruence between low income / slum settlements and
natural water networks like tanks and storm water drains.
Lack of recognition of the congruence in policies pertaining to natural systems
and human settlements, which is evident in the fragmented organizational and
institutional frameworks that govern water as well as informal settlements in
Bangalore.
As a way forward, the BUL would collate policy briefs/ advocacy material that
aims to bridge these gaps.
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
WAY FORWARD
2. ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES AT THE SETTLEMENT / COMMUNITY LEVEL
Proposes to articulate the outcomes / proposals (from the two working groups
that engaged with Sanyasi Kunte and Mahalakshmi Layout) as site-level
interventions.
Objective is to enable communities and their representatives (i.e. AVAS and KKNSS
respectively) to work with decision makers and implement short and long-term
solutions to identified challenges.
As an immediate step;
To connect the communities and their representatives with the decision makers
in the water utility company (BWSSB) and the elected representatives.
The team at Integrated Design will be willing to work with the actors to evolve
and detail out specific actionable strategies from the broad framework proposed
in the Lab. In addition, the team will also be keen to hand-hold during the
implementation process.
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
WAY FORWARD
3.
FURTHER RESEARCH & TESTING OF THE URBAN LAB (and its
pedagogy) IN OTHER GEOGRAPHIES
The Urban (Bangalore) Lab provided a platform to understand one thematic – the
congruence between water systems and informal settlements. A logical step
would be to take the lab forward to other geographies and test its effectiveness in
identifying locally experienced challenges and finding solutions to these challenges
from within the same context.
The team is now exploring possibilities of taking the lab to one or even two
geographies. In addition to the focus on natural systems, given the team’s
expertise and skills, we are also keen to explore how heritage resources can
provision contemporary urban development.
In the past, Integrated Design has worked extensively in this space and is keen to
explore this agenda in different geographies with various state and non-state
stakeholders.
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015
THANK YOU
INDIA URBAN LAB
BUILDING LONG TERM RESILIENCE FOR BANGALORE
11TH NOVEMBER 2015